Lots of writers seem to do it -- for example, Douglas Adams/Arthur Dent, Charles Dickens/David Copperfield -- it just seemed to me that JMS was being bloody mindedly persistent in retaining JS as the initials of the station commander.
Which I can understand, both his desire to do so - if that were the case - and your perception. Sometimes, I think he lets his teasing and playfulness with friends and cohorts get into the show, sometimes maybe too much. For example, following along the line of the initials, he included them on the stuffed bear in "There All the Honor Lies". The whole bear idea I think stemmed from joking around with Peter David, and Joe had it include a stylized "JS" ostensibly to mean John Sheridan. But it doesn't bother me overall. If I ran my own show, I'd love to have the chance to have some fun with folks I know.
The bear that was in the show itself was the actual gift from Peter David's wife. After JMS 'spaced' the bear, Peter David wrote the 'evil Straczyn' into Space Cases. They let it go after fans started thinking that they had a serious dislike going. JMS mentioned in the script books that the JS thing was a way of signing his work. Made me realize that we never did find out what Jeremiah's last name was on that show. Jan
Not that I've ever seen. He seems to have a group of names that he may just like the sound of. That would explain the constant appearance of _ankowskis and Jennings and a few others in addition to Davids and various forms of Elizabeth. Jan
That's interesting, I'd never before heard that Doyle and O'Hare didn't get along. I could see it though since O'Hare comes off very stiff and formal and Doyle very frat boy. The reason I'd always heard is the studio thought O'Hare was too boring and stiff and forced JMS to drop him.
I noticed a few alien names (especially Minbari & Narn) can be near identical and I think at least two different Centauri names have been shared by more than one character too. The former is probably intentional as I recall some mention of drawing up a rough list phonetic name components so he can just mix and match while giving the impression of a common cultural source. The latter case (two different Centauri named Virini and another pair named Vole IIRC) was probably just a simple mistake. On the other hand, given the aristocratic nature of Centauri government it's just as likely they're related.
Vole? Nah, if, I'm correct, no one could be cruel enough to call a child that, isn't a Vole, the "giant" rat-like or Bug creatures Londo fears so much?
There was the bug that Londo killed in his quarters. I think it was the same kind that Mac & Bo found in 'A View from the Gallery'. They called it a B-one-five. Jan
Then there are Cardassian Voles.... nasty little things, not at all like the cure littles ones we have on Earth.
I recall reading this as the explanation JMS gave at the time in an ish of either Starlog or Cinefantastique. I also recall him saying later that he had always planned it, and thought "that's not what you said that one time!"
Well, working on the assumption that the studio did influence O'Hare's departure, that begs the question, was Boxleitner imposed upon JMS, or did he have a say in his casting? I guess I mean were there several options for who ended up as Sheridan?
JMS tells the story of the casting of Boxleitner in one of the script books. JMS wanted Michael York, but the powers that be said no. I don't remember the details of how it ended up being Boxleitner. IIRC, it was someone else (not JMS) who suggested Boxleitner, but JMS was cool with it (though, again, Michael York had been his first choice). Maybe someone with that script book handy can fill in the details.
I realise you lot are taking the piss, but for the sake of clarity (I've noticed some members have a blind spot for sarcasm and irony) I'll spell out what I was yammering on about: - There was a Centauri Minister Vole in the season five episode 'In the Kingdom of the Blind' who tried to kill Londo but instead got stabbed by a telekinetic Drakh. Then there was another one serving Londo just after he was made Emperor in the short story 'The Shadow of His Thoughts'. As for the Virinis, there's the pastels obsessed one that became Regent and got himself keepered. Then there's another one who showed up just the once in 'And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place'. The confusing part is that although "pastels" Virini had been around since season one, I don't think he was named until season five; *after* the other one had appeared. So either they're supposed to be the same person but for whatever reason had two different actors playing the part or JMS just pulled that name out of the hat, forgetting he'd used it already OR it was intentional and they're from the same family. And if that ain't confusing enough, I invite anyone who can to figure out what the bloody hell is going one with Coplann and Hedronn. I'm pretty sure he did plan it...for a given value of "plan." If I remember this right he had intended for another senior Earthforce officer to become part of the regular cast at some point in season 2, though not necessarily as the new lead. I think the intention was for him to be more along the lines of General Hague, but be much more present and involved than that character ended up being and (presumably) not killed off screen.
Very interesting, thanks for that. York would have been good, but very different to Boxleitner I think!
Michael York was definitely JMS' first choice and really wanted to do it but PTEN (not WB) vetoed him because he's British and so is Patrick Stewart so they "were afraid people would think that all future space-faring captains were British". PTEN submitted a list of suggestions, none of whom JMS and team thought were suitable. It was Doug Netter who remembered having worked with Bruce Boxleitner and recommended him for the part. Trivia note: the 'placeholder' name for the new character was John Strider. Jan
You have to wonder sometimes just where people hire these executives. I mean is there an employment agency somewhere that only caters for those with IQ's about on par with a stunned hedgehog? Even if American audiences were that stupid (a possibility I'm open to) I'm sure York could have managed to put on a half decent accent. Still one has to wonder at the logic that it's better for all future space captains to be American than any other nationality. I don't suppose it would have helped to point out that Sinclair wasn't technically American either? Still, it all turned out for the better so we really shouldn't complain. Boxleitner is easily one of the best leading men in all of tv science-fictiondom.
York of course later appeared as the character who claimed to be King Arthur. As for the John Strider name - that was perhaps overstating the Lord of the Rings influence, even for JMS' none-too-subtle tastes.